Press Release

Athens, 10 August 2026

The Hellenic Cancer Federation – ELLOK welcomes the significant statutory recognition of the Right to be Forgotten for people with a history of cancer in Greece, an important development that strengthens their protection against discrimination when accessing insurance contracts linked to consumer credit agreements.

With the adoption of Law 5317/2026, published in the Official Gazette on 10 July 2026, Greece now has a clear statutory framework protecting people who have completed cancer treatment in relation to insurance contracts linked to consumer credit agreements.

The new provision, which transposes into Greek law Article 14(4) of Directive (EU) 2023/2225 on consumer credit agreements, provides that:

“The use of personal data relating to a consumer’s diagnosis of an oncological disease for the purposes of an insurance contract linked to a credit agreement is prohibited where five (5) years have elapsed since the completion of the consumer’s treatment.”

In practice, people with a history of cancer will not be subject to discrimination on the basis of their previous diagnosis when entering into insurance contracts linked to consumer credit agreements, provided that five (5) years have elapsed since the completion of their active treatment and there has been no recurrence of the disease.

The relevant provision will enter into force on 20 November 2026, in accordance with the transitional provisions of the law.

From European commitment to national implementation

The Right to be Forgotten has become a key element of the European cancer survivorship agenda, recognising that people who have successfully completed cancer treatment should not continue to face financial or social discrimination because of their previous diagnosis.

“ELLOK, as the Hellenic Cancer Mission Hub, together with our member organisations and important partners, such as Pisti Krystallidou and WinCancer, have worked systematically to secure the Right to be Forgotten in Greece as well,” said George Kapetanakis, President of ELLOK.

“We acted as a bridge between European priorities and their implementation at national level, strengthening cooperation among patients, relevant public authorities, policymakers, the banking and insurance sectors and all other stakeholders.

“The statutory recognition of the Right to be Forgotten represents a particularly important development for everyone with a history of cancer in Greece. First and foremost, it establishes a simple, transparent and consistent framework of protection, ensuring that people with a history of cancer do not face unjustified barriers because of their previous diagnosis.

“It also places Greece among the European countries that have adopted a five-year period following completion of treatment, as currently applied in countries such as Belgium, France and Spain.”

For ELLOK, the Greek experience with the Right to be Forgotten demonstrates that European priorities can be translated into effective national policies through cooperation among patient organisations, public authorities, policymakers and all relevant stakeholders.

This development creates optimism that similar collaborative initiatives can also lead to new policies aimed at reducing inequalities and strengthening equitable access to cancer care for all patients.